


The Magic of Mistletoe

by ItsaVikingThing



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Humour, Korrasami Secret Santa 2017, under the mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-18 14:10:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaVikingThing/pseuds/ItsaVikingThing
Summary: When a young Korra hears about mistletoe for the first time, she becomes determined to avoid its mind-controlling ways at any cost. It takes her eleven years to realise that there may be something positive about the plant after all...





	The Magic of Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [breemeup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breemeup/gifts).



> So this is my fic for Korrasami Secret Santa, organised by the very lovely and awesome [@TheWillowtree](https://thewillowtree3.tumblr.com/). That's a link to her tumblr, where you can say hello. [Here's](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWillowTree) where you can read her fics!
> 
> I was given a few options, but I went with 'under the mistletoe'. I was told to have fun with it, so...I did. I hope you have fun with it, too! Especially you, [breemeup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breemeup)! :)

"What do you mean, there's a magical plant that makes people kiss each other?" Korra demands of a slight and more than slightly nervous woman named Ai.

Ai, Korra's current tutor and obviously regretting it, stammers, "Th-that's not exactly -- or at all -- what I _said_ , Avatar, but if-"

Korra is ten. She doesn't quite understand kissing, but is quite sure that she wants nothing to do with it. "Tell me everything about this plant."

Ai brightens slightly. "Oh! Well, it's less about magic, Avatar, than Earth Kingdom custom. You see, mistletoe is a hemiparisitic plant that grafts itself-"

Korra folds her arms and glares up at her teacher. "No! Tell me what mistletoe looks like so bad people can't trick me with it!"

Ai laughs nervously. She and Korra are alone in a small room in the compound set aside for the Avatar's education. Ai was happy with this arrangement, until roughly thirty seconds ago. "Oh, no, you see, it can't really be used to-"

Korra stamps her foot, inadvertently causing a small pebble to detach itself from the stone floor and leap into the air. "I'm not kissing anyone because of stupid magic plants! I'm not kissing anyone, ever!"

Ai blinks. Korra doesn't.

"But...that's not...that is to say..." Ai sighs, wilting under Korra's unrelenting glare. "A-as you say, Avatar."

She eventually describes the plant to Korra's satisfaction, though not to her own. 

The Avatar keeps a wary look out for mistletoe from that moment onwards, and makes sure to stay away from any plants brought to the compound until they've been safely identified.

For all her habit of vigilance, Korra is never exposed to the dangers of mistletoe throughout her time in the compound. She isn't exposed at all, in fact. 

Not until nearly eight years have passed.

* * *

If there's one thing Republic City has a lot of, it's everything in the world. The only tricky part can be finding where to find what you want.

Republic City contains soaring shopping centres, stylish boutiques, pokey old stores lurking in the shadows of new developments, independent sellers crafting goods in their apartments and hawking them on corners, street vendors, floating markets, stationary markets, stationery markets, and markets that float on boats in the docks, like the one Korra, her boyfriend and her friends are currently visiting.

There are roughly a dozen craft of varying types and sizes lashed together via a series of planks, ladders, and a floating platform. Korra's navigating an ironclad crowded with bolts of brightly-coloured cloth with Bolin.

"What do you think of this?" Bolin holds a swatch of tourmaline coloured cloth against his chest.

Korra frowns. "I have no clue. Is it for a new jacket...?"

Bolin nods. "For Pabu, yeah. I think this could bring out his stripes."

"Uh...maybe ask Asami? Where is Asami? And Mako?"

Bolin plucks a tuft of red fur from his pocket and holds it against the cloth. "Hmm...I think she's on the cheese barge. I'm pretty sure Mako's on the flower sloop..."

"Do you think those two are okay? I mean since Mako and I are...wait." Korra blinks. "There's a cheese barge?"

Korra cranes her neck looking for anything that might be a barge in the vicinity. Since all she knows about barges are that they're a type of boat, and she's surrounded by boats, Korra doesn't have much luck singling it out. 

She does spot Mako though, resplendent in his red scarf and picking his way carefully along a plank towards them. Korra grins and waves at him. Until she sees what he's carrying, and her body locks in terror.

Mako has a sprig of what can only be mistletoe in his hands. And he clearly isn't aware of the danger, given that he's smiling. He's alone right now, but in a minute, he'll be on the ship with Korra, Bolin, and dozens of innocent people. If Korra doesn't do something _right now_ , everyone on this boat will be forced to helplessly kiss each other against their will!

Korra thrusts out her jaw and growls, "Not on this Avatar's watch, mistletoe!" She forces herself into motion. She hops up onto the nearest stall, jumps onto a nearby rope, races along its length to the side of the ship, leaps onto the iron rail and, with an upward sweeping motion of her hands, airbends the deadly herb out of Mako's grasp and high up into the air.

Mako jerks to a halt, stumbling and almost falling off the plank. "What the...?! Korra...?"

Korra yells, "Duck!" But Mako just gapes stupidly at her. Korra doesn't have any more time. None of them do. She shifts her balance and performs a spin kick, bending a lance of fire thirty feet into the air and incinerating the falling plant.

Mako yells in panic and falls in a tangle of flailing limbs. His knees hit the plank. The rest of him hits empty air. He tumbles into the murky harbour water with a resounding splash.

Korra winces. "Sorry, Mako!" she calls to the patch of foamy water he sank beneath.

After a second, Mako surfaces, spluttering and thrashing.

Bolin ambles up to her side with a piece of heliotrope cloth. "Oh, hey Mako! Korra, how about this for a cape?"

Korra and Bolin help Mako out of the water. Korra does her best to dry him out with some bending. Unfortunately, there's no bending Korra knows that can cool his temper.

Mako jerks away from Korra's ministrations and wrings his scarf out over the side of the ship. "What were you _thinking_? Was that supposed to be a _prank_?"

Korra snorts. "No, of course not! What were _you_ thinking running around with _mistletoe_ like that?"

Mako's slightly blue from his exposure to the chill waters of the harbour. He gets red pretty quickly though, after Korra asks that. He glances at Bolin and winces when Asami joins them, drawn by the commotion. "I was...I was thinking I'd surprise you," he mutters.

"With an evil mind control plant?" Korra folds her arms. " _Great_ surprise!"

Bolin blinks. "With a what now?"

Korra feels the first terrible touch of uncertainty as she takes in her friends' blank expressions. "Uh...mistletoe? It...makes people do stuff...like kiss when they don't want to?"

Bolin gulps. He snatches up a piece of beige cloth and nervously begins brushing some ash off of Mako's shoulder.

Asami says, slowly, "Korra, that's...not how it works."

Korra bites her lip. "Uh...no, I was taught that..." Korra casts her mind back. "It's...bad magic? Right?"

Mako slaps Bolin's hand away and grinds his teeth. "No, it isn't! That's just ridiculous! Why would you...? It's supposed to be a sweet custom! Two people who like each other -- or are trying to figure out if they like each other -- kiss under the mistletoe! There's no magic! There's no...no _mind control_! Ugh! Whatever! I'm going to the towel frigate to get dry!"

He storms off before Korra can think of anything to say. She bites her lip, heart sinking as she realises that it might be possible that she maybe kinda could have perhaps made the tiniest of mistakes...

Bolin hesitates. "Uh...do you want me to...?"

Korra sighs. "You'd better go after him. He'll need time to cool off before I'll be able to talk to him again."

Bolin ducks his head, smiles nervously, and scampers off after Mako.

Korra stares gloomily out over the harbour until Asami touches her shoulder. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Korra faces her and nods quickly. "Y-yeah. Just feeling a little...no, a _lot_ silly."

Asami smiles, but there's concern in her eyes. "Well...it was a pretty dramatic response to the situation..."

"Oh." Korra's heart heads towards the bottom of the bay. "You, uh, you saw everything?"

"Afraid so. You did look very...dashing, rushing to Mako's rescue." Asami offers another, warmer smile. Her hand still rests on Korra's shoulder, lending comfort Korra isn't sure she deserves to borrow.

Korra groans. "Spirits! Mako was trying to be romantic and I ruined it. I'm an idiot. And everyone here knows it, now..."

"No, Korra. Come on. You were trying to protect him! He'll come around and see the funny side of things."

Korra snorts. "Maybe..."

Asami bites her lip and studies Korra's face. "I'm sure he will," she says softly. She hesitates, weighing something, then quickly says, "And you weren't all wrong, Korra. Mako wasn't quite right, either."

Korra blinks. "Pretty sure I was wrong about everything, Asami..."

Asami shakes her head. "It isn't mind control. And just because you're standing under mistletoe with someone, it doesn't mean you have to kiss them. It's always a choice. But...sometimes...a kiss beneath the mistletoe _is_ magic." Asami looks away. "That's what...that's what my mother used to say, anyway."

Asami's eyes grow distant for a second, her smile slips, and her hand slides off of Korra's shoulder. Asami shakes herself, recovering quickly, but before she can say anything to deflect the moment, Korra impulsively grabs her hand.

She stares Asami in the eye and says, "If your mother said it, then I believe it. Thanks, Asami."

Asami blinks, taken aback. She smiles briefly, a fragile flicker of her lips, and nods. "Now, if you want to give Mako time...uh, should we...do you want to...there's a noodle yacht over there?"

Korra gives Asami's hand a gentle squeeze and lets her go. "See, this is something else I don't understand? Why we didn't go there first!"

Asami laughs and guides Korra in the welcome direction of food.

Korra slowly relaxes but quietly vows never to get involved with mistletoe again.

It's a vow that remains untested for around three years.

* * *

"This isn't an emergency, so I really need you to calm down!" Korra anxiously paces the length of her room in Air Temple Island while Naga, sitting quietly in one corner, her tail lazily wagging, watches. "Asami and I are going to the Spirit World for a vacation together. Just the two of us! It's not a big deal!"

Naga sneezes thoughtfully.

Korra jumps. " _Naga_! Don't...don't make this into a whole thing! It's not a thing! Well, not a _whole_ thing. I mean, it's not _nothing_ , if it was nothing we'd be staying at home, or taking some of the others, but it's not necessarily _something_ , just because we're...going away. Together. The two of us. Alone. It...could be a thing, couldn't it? Oh, spirits wouldn't it be something if it wasn't nothing?"

Naga whines, but Korra waves her hand dismissively, still pacing. "Easy for you to say! It's not like there's some convenient method of finding out how she-oof!"

Naga leans forward and gently swats Korra with one huge paw, knocking her flat and pinning her to the floor. Naga brings her head down and patiently begins to lick Korra's face, repeatedly, from chin to brow.

"I see your...hmph...point. I could always...ulp...just ask her directly. But it's so...hlph...hard to think of the right...llk...words! Maybe it'll be easier in the...lrp...Spirit World?"

Naga pauses in her licking and barks reassuringly.

Korra pats Naga's snout. "Thanks, girl. But I need to finish packing and go meet Asami. Uh...and wash my face. And brush my teeth...twice."

Naga licks her one last time for good measure and releases her.

* * *

Korra takes Naga with her into the city. She's not sure when she's coming back, so she figures she should get another walk in before she goes. She's arranged to drop Naga off with Bolin before she meets Asami.

They walk through one of Republic City's smaller parks, enjoying the evening air and the fire butterflies. In Naga's case, she romps cheerfully after the bright glowing bugs. In Korra's, a host of the metaphorical kind flit through her stomach. 

She's going to see Asami soon.

Suddenly, Naga stops and begins to growl. Korra quickly scans the area but they seem to have the park to themselves. "What's wrong, girl?"

Naga's growl deepens, hackles rising on her neck. Korra goes to her side and places a calming hand on Naga's neck. She peers through the dark, trying to figure out what's distressing Naga. Then, in the illumination of a passing fire butterfly, she sees it.

Mistletoe.

It's a small clump, growing high in a young tree ahead of them. Korra chuckles, relaxing. She pats Naga's side a few times. "Riiight. Sorry, Naga. It turns out I...kinda got my facts wrong about mistletoe? So you can forget about that one. False alarm. It's not dangerous at all. Just really embarrassing..."

Naga's hackles lower and her growl trails off. She gives a reproachful huff and shakes herself.

"Hey, come on! At least you didn't do anything weird in front of your closest friends and about a hundred other people..." Korra winces, pushing the memory away. "Come on, girl. I'll take you to Bolin and then...Asami."

They leave the park, heading into one of Republic City's ravaged streets. Between the roads torn up by explosions and choked off by the debris of fallen buildings, there's not much Satomobile traffic around. 

Maybe that's why Asami's on foot, too. 

Korra spots her, pack on her back, striding quickly towards the new spirit portal, and their meeting point. She's side on to Korra, almost a block away, and Asami hasn't seen her. She's dressed practically in trousers, heavy boots, a heavy Future Industries jacket. She's got her long, glossy black hair tied in a ponytail.

Even at a distance, even in the dim light, the sight of her pierces Korra. The purpose in her stride, the way she carries herself, looking only ahead of her...Korra freezes on the spot, unable to call out, unable to think beyond realising that she has to know, now, tonight. Because she's in love with Asami. Not since she got back to Republic City, but before, long before that. There's been something growing between them, maybe since the first time they really connected, and there's nothing and no one else that makes Korra feel this way. That makes her feel so alive, so aware, so safe, so fragile, so happy.

"Naga?" Korra says softly. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself. "I need you to fetch something for me, okay?"

Naga wags her tail, tongue lolling out in approval at the concept until Korra tells her what she needs.

* * *

Asami is waiting for her at the edge of the crater that the spirit portal sits in, surrounded by spirit vines. Asami isn't looking at the portal, or the spirits flying around it. She's watching the street, watching for Korra. She smiles and springs to her feet when she sees her, her green eyes brighter than any fire butterfly's illumination.

Korra swallows, and smiles back. "Hey! Sorry I'm late!"

Asami shakes her head, quickly closing the distance between them. "You're not. Not really. I just got here. So...are you ready to go?"

"Uh...I actually need a minute..."

"Alright." Asami hesitates. "Is...everything okay? You still-"

"Spirits, yes! I absolutely, definitely am taking you to the Spirit World! Uh...any second now..." Korra glances behind her.

Asami touches her arm, and Korra yanks her head round to face her, smiling nervously. "What's going on? You seem...stressed."

Her eyes are full of concern. Her hand is still on Korra's arm, and Korra's grateful for that. She stares at Asami, and all at once, the fear leaves her. "I was a bit nervous. But I'm honestly just excited to be doing this. With you."

Asami's eyes widen and her lips slowly turn up into the beginnings of a sweet smile. 

Korra laughs. "Asami, I don't know why I was so worried, but-"

There's the sound of a muffled bark, the sound of running polar bear dog feet slapping against stone, the sound of something leafy scraping along the ground. Asami looks over her shoulder and gasps. "Korra! What is Naga _doing_?"

Korra looks back and gapes. "Naga! Oh, spirits!"

Naga bounds towards them, an entire tree in her grinning mouth. She skids to a stop in front of Korra, tail wagging madly, presenting the uprooted tree with its clump of mistletoe for Korra's approval.

Asami says, "Um...Korra...why does Naga have a tree?"

Korra groans. "Just...gimme a second here! Naga...okay, you know what? Just raise it up overhead, girl. Please?"

Asami blinks as Naga rears up on her hind legs, holding the tree high over both their heads. "Um..."

"Asami...somewhere on that...whole tree Naga brought because she's a good but sometimes confused girl, there's mistletoe. Which we're under, now. And you know that means that...we sort of have to kiss. I mean, uh, no, we don't have to, of course! If you don't want to..."

Asami pulls her gaze down from the towering Naga and the tree and the small clumps of soil dropping from its roots. She stares into Korra's eyes, and whatever she sees there makes her smile. "No. I don't _have_ to." Asami steps closer. She puts her hand on Korra's cheek, her thumb brushing soft across her skin and pouring fire into Korra's veins. "But I want to."

She leans in, and Korra gladly meets her. They kiss, that first time, under the mistletoe.

It's magic.

* * *

They walk hand in hand through the streets of Republic City, Naga following happily with the tree in her mouth.

"Sorry about the detour," Korra says. "But after we replant the tree and drop Naga off...it'll be just the two of us. In the Spirit World!"

Asami squeezes her hand. "Just there?" There's a smile in the way she asks it.

There's a smile on Korra's lips when she answers: "Good point. It'll be the two of us, everywhere."

They kiss, that second time, with nothing but the clear night sky above them.

It's magic.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks very much for reading! If you are of that persuasion, Merry Christmas! If you aren't, Merry Day! I hope you're having a good one! :)


End file.
